Page 101 of Spy With Me
Cooper sat beside his wife. “I am eternally grateful, Lucy.”
Kala frowned his way.
Cooper shook his head. “Devi knew you wouldn’t last anotherround with Huisman. Those drugs of his are primed to kill you this time.”
“Well, now he’ll use them on Devi,” Kala announced.
“We don’t know that.” Big Tag paced, waiting for word thatthe plane was ready. “He was torturing you for very specific reasons, the chiefone being you’re my daughter.”
“I think it was more than that.” Zach found the will tospeak. He’d done nothing these last few weeks but sit around and think aboutEmmanuel Huisman. “Huisman is a red pill misogynist of the highest order. Hegenuinely believes women are good for breeding and serving men and nothingmore. Kala challenges his world view. He treated Carys differently, from whatI’ve been told.”
“Well, he was about to cut her fingers off with a straightcutter,” Tristan said, every word tight. “But I do get what you’re saying. He’sfascinated by Kala. He wants to break her.”
“I’ll break his dick the next time I see him and then we’llsee how toxic his masculinity really is,” Kala vowed.
“Eve agrees.” Big Tag continued to move like he couldn’tstand to be still. “I talked to her a few minutes ago. She’s built a profile onhim. I think she would say Zach is right on the money. His only real interestin Devi is going to be in controlling Shannon.”
“I should have let them take me.” It was killing him. Thosemoments in the train station could cost him everything and all because hefollowed his instincts and fought when he should have conceded.
“And then they would have still tried to take Kala and theywould have simply shot Devi.” Big Tag moved in front of him, putting his handson Zach’s shoulders. “I know where you are, son. I’ve been there far too often,and I can tell you that trying to run different scenarios that might havechanged things will do nothing to help her. Throw your guilt out. I need you tobe the soldier you are. The operative I trained you to be.”
“See, I was thinking he’s taking this pretty well,” Trispointed out.
TJ finally looked up from his phone. Zach was almost certainhe was texting back and forth with his parents. “He looks calm, but underneathhe’s losing his shit. Like I am.”
At least one person got him. It was good that it was Devi’sbrother, though TJ had to blame him, too.
“Ben thinks he’s ready to move.” Kenzie had asked to bringthe Canadians in, but Big Tag wanted time to assess the situation. She wasstaring down at her phone. “Ben and Tim are on their way to Nepal. Maybe Ishould go with them.”
Big Tag sent his daughter a stare that could have peeledpaint.
“Fine,” she said and sat back down. “But it wasn’t aboutBen. I think we need to get there as soon as possible and figure out how tosave my cousin.”
“We’re lucky we’re not in custody,” Big Tag announced.“Drake is losing his shit because we’re not supposed to be here, and now we’rein the middle of the biggest terrorist attack in Europe in this century.”
Twelve dead. Countless injured. Billions in propertydestruction, and Huisman was just getting started. There was something more.Something he hadn’t told them yet. The team knew Huisman had been in his andCooper’s ears, but they hadn’t told them everything.
“Huisman claims Ben is a double.” Zach forced himself to saythe words. “When he was talking to me before he blew the station all to hell,he pointed out that none of this was possible without Ben’s help. He claimsthey’re still friends, and Ben has been with him all along.”
Kenzie waved him off. “Huisman lies. Ben has done nothing tohurt us. He’s risking his job to work with us right now.”
“He’s being a reckless asshole because he knows damn wellhe’s going to need a key card and code to even approach the facility,” herfather said. He looked Zach’s way and gave him a slight shake of his head,which Zach took to mean they weren’t talking about this now. Not while Kenz washere. Tag directed his attention to Lou. “Lou, you have the schematics, right?”
Lou nodded. “I thought I would do a presentation on theplane where I have you all as a captive audience. But yes, this facility Benclaims is actually a front for Huisman is Disrupt Asia’s climate base. It’ssupposed to house a bunch of scientists and climate professionals who arestudying the Himalayas for signs of climate change. It’s built into the side ofa mountain, and from what I can tell it used to be a Chinese secret base.Disrupt bought it years ago, so who knows what changes Huisman’s made. The securitysystem runs on key cards and codes. I’m surprised he’s not using biometrics.”
“Tech can be difficult in an environment like that. Also, hewould have to bring people in to set it all up, and not dayworkers. He wouldneed specialists,” Tristan explained. “From what I can tell they only recentlystarted to use this place. At least Huisman’s visits began roughly a year ago.”
Henry walked in the room, sliding his phone into his pocket.He walked slowly, having taken a knife to his side. Luckily he’d deflected it,and Big Tag had stitched him up. “I’ve talked to the director. What happened atthe station today has sent shockwaves through the Agency.”
“I’ll bet it did. Well, at least they can’t deny who Huismanis anymore.” Big Tag finally stopped moving, leaning against the bar. He ran ahand over his head. “I bet your talk went as well as mine.”
“He’s pissed that Lucy’s cover is blown, and I don’t thinkhe’s buying what Drake’s selling,” Henry admitted. “But the good news is nowthis team is considered the subject-matter experts, and you’re kind ofunassailable since no one else has clocked as much time on Huisman as you.You’ve got the go to get to Kathmandu. They have an agent on the ground who’sgoing to run logistics for you.”
Tag nodded. “We need to find a way to access the inner baseand get the intel to Parker. At least those were my orders.”
Could they trust Parker? “How much does Parker know aboutwhat went down today?”
“Parker is being told an American team will meet him there,but he knows nothing else,” Henry replied. “But you should understand we’reworking with the Canadians on this. We’ve agreed to provide backup and shareintel. The important stuff.”
